How We Got the Best-Selling Book of All Time

The King James Bible is celebrating its 400th anniversary and deserves its longevity.

By

Leland Ryken

Aug. 26, 2011 6:07 p.m. ET

The King James Bible—the bestselling book of all time, the most quoted book in the English language—is celebrating its 400th anniversary this year with conferences and exhibits in museums and libraries. Yet how this book of superlatives came to be is not so well-known. It is a peculiar story, full of twists and surprises.

Upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I in March 1603, King James of Scotland became the ruling monarch of England....